photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Ryan Weishaar is taken down by a pack of defender at Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Overland Park.

Headline: Second half burst ends Free State’s season in 49-14 loss at Blue Valley Northwest

Overland Park — Friday night’s game between Free State and Blue Valley Northwest was closely contested through the first half, but a burst in the third quarter by the Huskies put an end to the Firebirds’ season, as they fell 49-14 on the road.

After the opening drive of the second half resulted in a failed fourth-down conversion for Free State, Blue Valley Northwest created separation and soon delivered the knockout punch early in the fourth quarter.

“I think the guys are pretty disappointed that one got away from us,” head coach Kevin Stewart said. “We go for it there, and I thought we could have got it. I really had confidence we’d get it, but after that, we give up a big play.”

After a 49-point outburst a week ago, the Firebird offense struggled to find a consistent rhythm, to which Stewart attributes to being a little too greedy with the play calling, especially in the third quarter.

“(We were) just not running our normal stuff, but we’re getting at that point, we’re trying to move the ball and it just kind of got away from us,” he said.

The game plan going into the week for Free State, much like all season, was to let the run game open up the passing game and eliminate negative-yardage situations. Stewart credited the speed of the Blue Valley Northwest secondary, but ultimately knew that it came down to lack of execution.

Blue Valley Northwest began the night with a picturesque first drive that took off seven and a half minutes of the first quarter clock. The Huskies picked up five first downs on the drive, and capped it off with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from LJ Bowens.

Free State had a much quieter first drive, picking up just one yard, resulting in a punt.

After forcing a three-and-out, the Firebirds got a huge boost from the special teams after blocking the Husky punt. The ensuing drive came up empty when Parker Moore lost a fumble on the third play, giving the ball back to the Huskies.

The special teams of Free State were once again a benefit, but with a little bit of help. The defense forced another punt, this time with the snap going over the Blue Valley Northwest punter, and they recovered at the 5-yard line.

It took one play to even up the score as Bralin Preston took a wildcat-formation handoff from Parker Moore for a 5-yard run.

Both teams came up empty on their next drives, then the Huskies retook the lead late in the half. Using another long drive to wear down the Firebird defense, the Huskies’ passing game made itself useful when Trevor Garlington fully extended on a Nathan Baxter deep pass for a 30-yard score.

The Huskies got one last chance to extend the lead before the half, but the Free State special teams made one more play before the half, as Moore, who made plays in all three phases of the game in recent weeks, blocked a 50-yard field goal attempt.

Free State opened the second half in an attempt to kick-start the rushing game. On the ground, the Firebirds picked up a couple of first downs, but another fumble gave the ball back to Blue Valley Northwest near midfield.

It took one play from scrimmage for Blue Valley Northwest to extend its lead to 14 when Baxter connected with Logan Chandler for a 44-yard touchdown.

Down two scores, the Firebirds needed an efficient touchdown drive and took to the air. Boston Baker found Maddon Brittingham for a gain of 12 yards to jumpstart the drive. Two plays later, Baker found Ryan Weishaar for 12 yards and then Braiden Blanchard for another first down.

Disaster struck when Baker threw a screen pass to the right side, which was deflected and intercepted, resulting in a pick-6 for Blue Valley Northwest.

Following the interception, Baker found Brittingham down the sideline for 30 yards. On the next play, Baker sent a pass deep down the field that was once again intercepted by the Huskies.

Misfortunes continued to pile up for Free State, as a deflected pass turned from a would-be momentum-gaining interception, into a 68-yard completion for Blue Valley Northwest. Following a few offensive penalties, Baxter threw a back-shoulder pass to Ayden McGibboney for a 16-yard touchdown.

The Firebird offense continued to put the ball through the air, but three incompletions on the following drive resulted in a three-and-out. Free State was out of luck furthermore as a bad snap on the punt gave the Huskies field position inside the 5-yard line.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Bowens found his way into the endzone for the second time to extend the lead.

Free State went back to the ground and picked up a first down on the next drive, but on the first play through the air, the ball found the hands of a Blue Valley Northwest defender and was returned for the second pick-6 of the half.

In a game that was already out of reach, the Firebird offense made one last charge. The Firebirds embarked on an 11-play drive, with the help of a 30-yard completion from Baker to Brittingham, resulting in a Weishaar touchdown from one yard out.

Blue Valley Northwest regained possession with four minutes and 17 seconds remaining and didn’t give the ball to Free State, picking up a first down and ultimately kneeling out the clock.

In a season of ups and downs, the performance was not indicative of the Firebirds’ success. They finished 6-4 overall while facing a slew of injuries to key players.

“It was a good year,” Stewart said. “We played a lot of good teams, and we were right there with all of them, except for this one.”

It also marked the final game for the careers of 30 Free State seniors, who saw a lot of success in the program throughout their four years.

“They’re a great group of guys,” Stewart said. “(We have) great leaders in the class, great character in the class and we had a lot of good teams, a lot of good wins, a lot of good games over the last two years with those guys playing varsity. We’re going to miss all those guys for sure.”

Score by quarters

BVNW — 7 7 21 14 — 49

FSHS — 0 7 0 7 — 14

How they scored

First quarter

04:35 – LJ Bowens 1-yard rush. Trace Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 7 FS 0)

Second quarter

09:29 – Bralin Preston 5-yard rush. Yusef Iskandrani kick is good. (FS 7 BVNW 7)

01:52 – Nathan Baxter 30-yard pass to Trevor Garlington. Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 14 FS 7)

Third quarter

07:07 – Baxter 44-yard pass to Logan Chandler. Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 21 FS 7)

05:09 – Garlington interception return. Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 28 FS 7)

01:55 – Baxter 16-yard pass to Ayden McGibboney. Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 35 FS 7)

Fourth quarter

11:56 – Bowens 3-yard rush. Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 42 FS 7)

09:06 – Joseph Arnold interception return. Rudd kick is good. (BVNW 49 FS 7)

04:17 – Ryan Weishaar 1-yard rush. Iskandrani kick is good. (BVNW 49 FS 14)

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Boston Baker passes the ball to a teammate at Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Overland Park.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Parker Moore takes down the quarterback for a fumble at Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Overland Park.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Parker Moore fumbles the ball at Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Overland Park.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Parker Moore takes down Blue Valley Northwest’s LJ Bowens at Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Overland Park.

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State head coach Kevin Stewart listens to an explanation by a ref at Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Overland Park.